Mail-bag-delivering apparatus.



PATENTED OCT. 4, 1904.

E. N. TRAINHAM. MAIL BAG DELIVERING APPARATUS.-

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 2, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L -Ziakaz/Kf N0 MODEL.

PATENTED OCT. 4, 1904.

E. N. TRAINHAM. MAIL BAG DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

Patented October 4, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR N. TRAINHAM, OF WVASHINGTCN, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MAlL-BAG-DELIVERING APPARATUS- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,687, dated October 4, 1904.

Application filed December 2, 1903. Serial No. 183,501. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR N. TRAINHAM, a citizen of the United States, residingat Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail- Bag-Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail-bag-delivering devices applied to a postal or mail car without interferingwiththe rdinarymail-bagcatcher; and the objects of the same are to provide simple and effective means in connection with a car for both delivering and catching mailsacks without slacking the speed of the car or requiring any particular form of sack to render the operation effective, to provide an apparatus so constructed that the mail-sack to be delivered can be quickly hung in place and practically caught without the danger incident to throwing sacks on a platform from a rapidlyinoving car, and to provide an apparatus of the class set forth having a simple and effective construction which is readily adjustable and capable of being easily turned into the car to which it is applied without interfering with the door-opening.

\Vith these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of aholder movably disposed on a car and capable of being thrown inwardly out of the way when not in use or turned outwardly after a mail-sack has been disposed therein a sufficient distance to cause the sack to be delivered in a receiver therefor arranged in elevated position adjacent to a track.

The invention further consists in a holder movably applied to a car and having means to permit a projection thereof, as well as devices for automatically retracting the same.

The invention further consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l is a horizontal section of a portion of a postal or mail car, showing the improved mail-sack holder applied thereto and arranged in operative position, and a crane disposed adjacent to the track on which the car moves. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through a mail or postal turned at its free end.

car, showing the improved apparatus in side elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of a portion of a car adjacent to the door of the latter, illustrating the means for movably attaching the sack-holder.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several v'iews- The numeral 1 designates a postal or mail car of usual construction having a door-opening 2 in the side thereof. door is disposed the usual form of catcherarm 3, rotatably held in bearings 4 and having an inner operating rod or grip 5 for holding the same in proper position to catch a sack from means erected adjacent to a track and embodying features common to the ordinary mail-sack-holding crane. The application of the improved features to the car and usual crane does not in the least change or modify the ordinary crane attachments, with the exception of an additional means carried by the crane and the car to render the operation of delivering a mail-sack from a car and holding said sack in positive position without interfering with the operation and function of the usual catcher-arm and sack-holding means on the crane.

The primary part of the improvements consists of a holder 6, comprising two bars 7 and 8, arranged in vertical alinement and slidably held in sleeves 9, having flanges 10 to bear against one side of the frame of the door 2. The inner terminals of the flanges 10 are movably connected to hingeplates 11, secured to the inner portion of the side of the car adjacent to the door-opening, so that the rods or bars 7 and 8 may be swung outwardly and inwardly. The inner ends of the rods or bars are connected by a coupling-bar 12, having a central grip 13 for use by the mail clerk in projecting the holder a sufficient distance outwardly from the car side. Between the terminals of the coupling-bar l2 and the inner ends of the sleeves 9 springs 14 surround the rods or bars 7 and 8 and operate to retract the said rods or bars into the car. The outer end of the rod or bar 7 has a supporting-latch and slightly up- The rod or bar 8 has 15-movably secured thereto Adjacent to the two holding-latches 16 and 17 movable thereon with intermediate reversely-dis iosed bends to form a seat 18. Either one or both of the holding-latches 16 and 17 may be movably secured; but at least the upper one should be so connected. The supporting-latches and holding-latches 16 and-17 are caused to engage the loops at the opposite ends of a mailbag, as shown by Fig. 2, and when the mail bag or sack has been properly arranged for delivery in the holder the latter is swung outwardly and projected by the mail clerk a sufficient distance to enter a receiving means held adjacent to the track over which the mail-car moves. The holder 6 is in such position that the central contracted portion of the bag or sack will be engaged by the receiving means. Moreover, it will be seen that the holder forming the mail bag or sack delivering means is arranged below the usual catching-arm 8, so as not to interfere with the operation of the latter when it is necessary to use the same.

Adjacent to the track a crane 19 is erected and has outwardly-projecting upper and lower arms 20 and 21, provided with means for holding a mail bag or sack for engagement with the catching-arm 3 and embody well-known constructions. (Clearly shown by Fig. 2.) The details of construction of the crane will be similar to devices of this class now in use, and in addition thereto the lower arm 21 has a receiving means 22 secured thereto and consists of a central attaching shank or body 23, ap-

plied and fastened to the under side of the end of said arm 21 and provided with opposite end forks 24, having contracted throats 25 adjacent to their inner terminals and leading to reduced seats 26, the seats and throats having rubber lining-strips 27 applied thereto to form adhering means for effectively engaging the bag or sack forced into the seats and also to avoid wear on the bag, the rubber strips 27 also serving as cushions. The members 28 of the forks 24 flare outwardly toward their free ends, the greater portions of the forks being located inwardly beyond the plane of the outer edge of the intermediate body 23, so as to avoid too great projection of the receiving means adjacent to the track and render the delivery of the bag more effective. By having the receiving means formed with receiving-forks at opposite ends it will be serviceable for receiving mail sacks or bags from cars moving in reverse directions over the track adjacent to the crane. It will be understood that the receiving means 22 will be constructed of suitable metal and that the members of the forks 24 will yield sufficiently to permit mail sacks or bags to be forced thereinto and also afterward withdrawn therefrom by a properly-anthorized person. The receiving means 22 is held rigid in connection with the arm 21 by crossed brace-rods 28, connected at their front terminals to said means adjacent to the seats 26 and at their rear terminals to the opposite ends of a longitudinal brace-bar 28 secured to the inner edge of the crane-upright 19.

A mail bag or sack having been arranged in the holder 6, the latter is projected from the side of the car by the mail clerk a suflicient distance to cause the said sack to enter either one of the forks 24 and be forced back into the adjacent seat 26. When the mail bag or sack reaches the seat 26, the rods 7 and 8 immediately become disconnected from the extremities of the mail bag or sack by the tension exerted thereon, and at the same time a mail-bag suspended in the upper portion of the crane may be caught by the arm 3. After delivery of a mail bag or sack the mail clerk or operator releases the holder and the latter is thrown inwardly into the car by the springs 14 and may then be turned against the inner portion of the side of the car and avoid material obstruction of the door-opening. The springs 14 also take up the shock or jar that may result from a quick delivery or disposition of the bag within either fork and compensate for pulling movement exerted on the rods 7 and 8 when the bag or sack is disconnected from the rods after arriving in the seat 26, and thereby overcome any tendency to fracture or breakage of the parts of the holder.

The improved attachments are advantageous not only in performing the functions set forth, but also in view of thefact that they may be applied without in the least modifying the general structure of mail holding and catching devices now commonly used. A further advantage is that the delivering attachments carried by the car may be operated simultaneously with the catcher-arm 3 by one person.

Changes in the proportions, dimensions, and minor details may be resorted to without in the least departing from the spiritof the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Acarhavingamail-bag-delivering means hinged thereto and provided with automatically-retractable mail-bag-delivering devices, and a mail-bag receiver rigidly held adjacent the plane of movement of the said delivering means.

2. A car having a mail-bag-delivering means hinged at one side of the door-opening thereof *and projectable from the car, and a mail-bag receiver rigidly held adjacent to the plane of movement of the delivering means.

3. A car having a mail-bag-delivering means movably attached thereto to swing inwardly and outwardly therefrom, and a double-ended mail-bag receiver held in rigid position in relation to the plane of movement of the said delivering means.

4. A car having a movably-attached projectable and automaticallyretractable mailbag-delivering means, and a receiving-fork rigidly held in relation to the plane of movement of the said means.

5. A car having a movably-attaehed projectable and automatically-retractable mailbag-delivering means, and a mail-bag receiver rigidly held adjacent the plane of movement of the said delivering means.

6. A car having an automatieallyretraet-' able mail-bag-delivering means removably at- O. M. FoRREsT, R. V. BLOXTON. 

